


Nobody will know

by Dlahm17



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:25:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4077793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dlahm17/pseuds/Dlahm17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Albus Severus Potter, Harry's son, goes off to his first year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  He moves into the swing of things with high hopes.  Little did he know that his father was tracking down ex-Death eaters who are out for revenge on the Boy Who Lived.  And what better way to get revenge, then kill those he's close to, and the first on that agenda is his son.  Follow Albus' misadventures at Hogwarts as his father races against time, and he learns the truth of what's going on around him.  Welcome to Hogwarts, but is it still safe?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The train

**Author's Note:**

> I have read the Harry Potter series so often that I have lost track. Please enjoy this story, and if you want more than like and comment. Any comment is helpful as I can use that to further this story's development. If you want me to write a story on one of your own subjects, than please message me, I would love to write anything. Have a Great Day!

Albus Potter felt the train thrum beneath his seat, his parents beginning to grow faint in the distance and embrace each other.  He sighed as his first day at Hogwarts was tomorrow, and the train was taking him off to the enchanted castle; away from his parents for the first time.

The legendary Harry Potter was his father, his mother being Ginny Potter, both of them were heroes of the wizarding world.  Harry Potter was a name that everyone has known since he defeated the dark lord Voldemort, and Voldemort has been gone for over thirteen years.

“Hey Albus, don’t land yourself in Slytherin now, we wouldn’t want to have to hate you.”

This voice came from Albus’ brother: James, the joker of the Potter family.  Though from what Albus’s father had told them, he was nowhere close to the level of the Weasley twin’s joking demeanors.  Though the twins are now only singular, George, was the only surviving member of the twins after the battle for Hogwarts.

“Stop it, James.”  Albus replied, setting his trunk down under his train seat.

“Well, don’t worry, little bro.  You have to be in Gryffindor, our father is the Harry Potter.  There’s no possible way we can be in anything else, the house will normally be kept in families.”

James smiled brotherly at Albus, putting an arm on his shoulder and sitting him down, “Just enjoy the train ride and keep a sickle on hand, the trolley lady has a lot of sweets.”

“Thanks, do you have any other advice for me, James?”

“Yeah, don’t annoy the acromantulas or the centaurs, they will not hesitate to kill you.”

And with that, James left the compartment.

Albus heard the compartment door close behind James and he sat down in the cushiony seats, alone, ready to fall asleep on the long ride to Hogwarts.

He slept for a few hours before being awoken by a knock on the compartment door, “Hello?  Is there anybody in this compartment?  I have candy from the trolley lady.  Albus groaned as he stretched his limbs after waking, “Yeah, you can come in, there’s room.”  And in walked Rose, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger’s daughter.

“Hey Albus,” she said shyly, “There really wasn’t much room left in the other areas, everyone else already has their friends groups made.”

Not only had Rose inherited her mother’s brains, but her bushy hair and teeth too, those things were second only to a beaver.  So Albus understood immediately why she was rejected from everywhere else, their pride wouldn’t allow them to talk to her.

“Yeah, no problem.  So any ideas on the house you’ll be in?”

Rose wasted no time in answering: “Gryffindor, just like my mom and dad”

“Same”, Albus replied, “My dad even told me that you can ask the sorting hat to allow you into different houses, he said that he did it when he was being sorted.”

Rose’s curiosity was instantly pricked, “Really, but isn’t the hat supposed to be impartial?  It says so in the Hogwarts a History I inherited from my mom.”

Albus shrugged, it was no matter to him whether the hat heard him or not, he just needed to be in Gryffindor.  “I don’t know, but don’t you think that book might be a bit dated?”

At this point another kid walked into the room, “HEY, STOP THAT!”  He didn’t walk in so much as being pushed in, and fell onto the floor.  From the blond hair it was instantly recognizable who it is, Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s son.

Albus instantly jumped up and yanked out the only thing he could grab, which was his wand that he just got.  Twelve inches long, made of willow, and with a dragon’s heartstring to power it; this wand resonated power whenever Albus held it.  And he held it straight out, pointed at the two Hufflepuff fifth years who had pushed Scorpius in.

“What’s the big idea?”

Scorpius got to his feet and pulled out his mahogany wand, “Yeah, what was that for?”

The two Hufflepuffs sneered at the first years, “Just remember who your grandfather was, filth.”  And they left, slamming the compartment door shut as they went.

Rose got up and put both Albus’ and Scorpius’ wands down, “Calm down now, they’re gone.”

The two first years looked at each other and finally recognized them, “Wait aren’t you-“they said simultaneously.  Scorpius stuffed away his wand, “Albus Potter, it’s nice to meet you.  Your father saved mine’s life on more than one occasion, I’ve heard a lot about him.”

“Many have,” Albus countered without putting his wand away, having also heard of Scorpius’ father and grandfather: Draco Malfoy, and Lucius Malfoy.  One of which had been Voldemort’s right hand man, and the other was almost going to follow him before wising up.  Not that Albus didn’t remember Harry’s stories of how Draco had been the infamous school bully of Slytherin House.

“Look,” Scorpius started, “I know how you think that my father is a person who is concerned with blood over bravery, but I never knew that part of him.  I had heard that he was like that, but never met him when he was like that, it seems to me that he changed.  Also, I grew up without that influence, I don’t care that her mother was a muggleborn.”  He pointed at Rose who had been watching the exchange excitedly.

“Alright,” Albus finally put away his wand, “Don’t worry, a guy isn’t his father, he’s himself.  But don’t act like your old man, I wouldn’t want to have to hate you.  You seem like an okay guy.”


	2. Sorting

"Hey, can everyone see me? Hear me?  Excellent!"  The speaker was one of the teachers at Hogwarts, the right hand man to the Headmistress Minerva Mcgonagall: Professor Longbottom.

"Behind these doors is Hogwarts School, you will wait until the doors open to follow me into the great hall and wait to be sorted into the different houses.  I am, in fact, the head of Gryffindor house."

Neville Longbottom, as Albus had heard before, was one of his father's friends when Harry was in Hogwarts.  Neville had fought bravely at the Battle for Hogwarts destroying Nagini the snake, and married Luna Lovegood afterwards.  He was now the Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, but worked closely with Professor Sprout in herbology.

"Do you know what houses we'll be in?" Piped up Scorpius, who was practically shaking in his robes.

"No," Professor Longbottom replied, "Nobody knows until they put on the sorting hat, but the house will often stay in the bloodline."

Scorpius groaned, "perfect," he said sarcastically to Albus and Rose, "I hope to God that I'm not in Slytherin, I would be teased straight out of the school."

"Don't worry," Rose whispered back, I don't think you'll be in Slytherin.  You're way too nice for that, I heard that the Slytherins are mean."

Professor Longbottom left and a babble of talk broke out in the hall as all the first years started talking about the sorting.

"I heard that you will have to endure some sort of a curse!" Yelled out one of the girls.

"That's stupid, you heard the teacher, it's just a hat.  Odds are that you're going into Hufflepuff, clearly have no brains."  A boy in the back responded.

"And where will you be?"

"Ravenclaw, the smartest of all the Houses, and from what my brother told me: the house that's won both the quidditch cup and house cup three years running."

The boy in the back sat down as he finished his statement and opened a book.  As if by some random coincidence, Professor Longbottom returned at that very moment and opened the doors to the Great Hall.

The trio walked in together staring at the beauty of the Hall.  Flying candles lit the room as they zoomed across the sky, often forming elaborate flight patterns in formation.  Above each of the four tables in the Hall danced a different colored flame representing the house.  Ghosts were seated every so often at the house tables, often floating through the tables themselves to talk with a fellow ghost.

The boy who believed himself to be already a Ravenclaw was left behind as he hastily tried to stow his book in his robe.  "Hey! Wait up!"

Albus noticed James sitting at the Gryffindor table, and he waved.  James waved back and mimed putting on the hat, mouthing the words 'don't be in Slytherin'.  He then turned back and laughed with his friends as one of them made a joke.

Professor Longbottom stopped in the middle of the hall and motioned for the first years to do the same.  In front of them was a stool presenting a ratty old pointed hat, this hat must have been older than the school itself from how tattered it was.

This must have been the sorting hat, the thing that will decide what their friends and families will be for the next seven years.  Such a little thing to be making such a major decision, Albus thought to himself and, unknowingly to him; his two friends were mirroring his thoughts exactly.

Suddenly, a rip opened in the brim of the cap, making it look like it was smiling, and it began to quote:

_“My tattered state_

_And Deadly smile_

_Can make most folks feel bleak._

_Though the history_

_Behind this grin_

_Makes most others feel weak._

_The Hogwarts Four they had me here_

_Ready to be just._

_With a bit of brains to help_

_For sorting, I must._

_These four houses require new_

_Blood with all its worth,_

_And my job, as you can see,_

_Is sort you while you’re first._

_The years have past, yet we’ve survived_

_Talent For talent’s sake_

_Though many fought, and many died_

_Their wounds were not in vain._

_Now place me on your noggin,_

_And I’ll see what I can see._

_And place you where you belong_

_The Home where you ought to be._

_Be it Gryffindor, for those of Brave_

_Ravenclaw for Mind_

_Slythering for Tenacity_

_And Hufflepuff for Kind._

_These houses four, are now for you_

_So I will tell you this._

_For these houses now are to you_

_A family._

_Let’s begin.”_

            Albus clapped with the rest of the houses, the Hat’s poem was quite good, he obviously had put thought into it.  Scorpius, who was standing next to Albus, shivered as he heard the Sorting Hat’s prose.  The lines about family and home had really stuck to him, driving through his mind like a nail in a coffin, paling Scorpius’ already white face.

            Rose, who was also next to Albus, was shaking with excitement.  To her, this was a new beginning away from all the uncles and aunts who constantly had to visit.  Away from her Grandmother who was always fussing over how her Godfather was Harry Potter, and how she was one of the most caring figures in his life.  It was just based on her performance, not her bloodline.

            Up in front of the sorting hat, Professor Longbottom stood up with a scroll.  It unfurled of its own accord and hung in front of him.  “As you hear your name, please walk up and place the hat on your head.  Devon Arinade.”

            “Hey, Scorpius?”  Albus whispered, “You okay?”

            Scorpius was whiter than even his hair, looking more like a bone than anything. 

The Hufflepuff House cheered and broke the silence as Devon was made a Hufflepuff, and Devon looked relieved more than anything.  Albus swore he even saw a darker patch grow over Devon’s robes as the stress got to him.

“No, I’m fine.”  Scorpius replied, watching Devon walk to his house and shake his prefect’s hand, sitting with a few Hufflepuff second years who had a few seats next to them open.

The names went onwards and onwards; Crawsin Heavor was made a Slytherin, Rebecca (who told the Professor she preferred to be called Becky) Jenil walked buoyantly over to the Ravenclaw table, Gerald Lenteel was made Ravenclaw as well.

Then it was Scorpius’ turn, “Scorpius Malfoy.” Professor Longbottom called out to the Hall.  Instantly boos erupted, jeering at Scorpius from all sides.  “Go back to your Grandfather, traitor!”  people yelled at him.  Scorpius tried to ignore the jeers by hurrying to the hat and jamming it on his head, instantly the hat yelled out to the whole of the hall: “GRYFFINDOR!!!”  Quieting most of the jeering students instantly.

Then came Albus’ turn, he walked up to the cap and set it on his head. “ _Ah, the apple never falls far from the tree”_ , he heard in his mind. “I choose Gryffindor, please.”  Albus whispered.

_“I see your father taught you an old trick, you are now in_ GRYFFINDOR!!!”  The hat yelled out the choice to the entirety of the school, who expected nothing less from the son of Harry Potter, and clapped enthusiastically as Albus took his place among the other Gryffindors and Scorpius.

After both Scorpius and Albus, with a few other students in between, it was time for Rose.  “Rose, Weasley!”  Professor Longbottom yelled, and Rose walked up to the Sorting Hat, settling it on her bushy hair.  The sorting hat took a very long time to choose what she would be, but in the end there was only one real choice he could make: “GRYFFINDOR!”

            Rose set the hat back down delicately and walked over to sit down with Scorpius and Albus, the latter of the two was trying to get his brother’s attention and rub it in that he wasn’t in Slytherin.  “Good job, Rose.” Scorpius said as Albus tried to wave at James, who, in turn, was busy trying to show off to a third year girl.

            “I just kept wanting to be with my friends, and the hat told me that there was a fine decision to be made, and despite my brains I would be just like my mother.”  Rose told Scorpius.

            The three of them continued to talk as the sorting continued onwards, and once the final first year had been placed in a house, the headmistress of Hogwarts stood up from the staff table and made a speech.  Minerva Mcgonagall, now somewhat more aged; but still very impressive, stood up: “Welcome one and all to Hogwarts, and to those returning I am happy to see you once again.  This year is like all the others, forbidden forest is out of bounds, quidditch tryouts are to be posted on the boards in dormitories, and Filch… is Filch.”

            The elderly caretaker glared at Mcgonagall from the back of the Hall, stroking the cat he called: Mrs. Norris.

            “There is only one change this year, and that is that the famous Auror Harry Potter will be visiting sometime during the year to teach a class on high level defense methods.  This class will only be open to fifth years and above, and there will not be a sign-up sheet, you must pay attention to notice when he is here and ask him.  This is entirely on his own decisions, so make sure you do well.  That is all”

            When she finished, food magically appeared on the table in front of the students, filling the plates with all they could ever imagine.  Throughout the hall a babble broke out as students would ask their friends how their summer was and how amazing this year would be with Harry Potter coming to visit them.

            Rose, Scorpius, and Albus ate and talked with their fellow first years about magic: “There is really so much to be had here in the school.”  A second year was telling the first years, “Though do be careful, not every magic is harmless.  And every magical creature can be harmful, especially if you are ignorant of them.  I even heard that a teacher was dragged off sixteen years ago by centaurs and was traumatized for life.”

            When the feast was over, the first years were guided up the staircases by the prefects and introduced to their dormitories.  Albus wasn’t paying attention though, as he had way too much to eat of the cakes, and simply passed out the second he saw his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the sorting hat's poem was of my own creation and I had a lot of fun making it. As always, if you want to see more of this story: please like and comment, any comment is helpful. And if you like my writing and want me to write a story for you, message me; I would love to write other stories for people. Have a Great Day.


	3. Peeves

                Albus woke up and looked around the dormitory that he hadn’t exactly noticed the day before, partially due to those amazing vanilla cakes he had yesterday.  It was clean and nice, with the four poster beds surrounding a carpet, Albus heard snores coming from the other beds, so he assumed the other first year boys were still asleep.

                The black haired first year, however, rolled over and off his bed, opened his trunk (which he didn’t remember bringing up), and got on some clothes and robes.  At this point, adrenaline began pumping through his body; this was his first day at Hogwarts, he’s going to learn how to be as great of a wizard as his father was.  On top of his clothes was a schedule for his classes and he looked through it while sticking on his clothes.

7:30-9:00, Breakfast and Mail

9:00-10:00, Beginners potions: P. Slughorn, dungeons

10:00-11:00, Beginners transfiguration: P. Filen, class 1

11:00-11:15, break

                And so on the schedule went until:

7:00-8:00 pm, free time

8:00, curfew

Midnight, astronomy: P. Sinistra, astronomy tower, Wednesdays only

                As Albus read through the course schedule the snores to his right had stopped and another first year named Edward Mathner got up rubbing his eyes.  Edward, as Albus had realized yesterday, was more of a bookworm than he had even seen in his father’s friend: Hermoine, or her daughter: Rose.  Just he wasn’t a fun bookworm like them, he was just mostly boring.

                “-ood -orning, Albus”, Edward managed out through his yawn.  On his chest, a book with an intricate cover design was slidding down his sheets.  Some late night reading material perhaps?

                “Morning Edward,” Albus said, tucking his schedule into the insides of his robes and sliding on shoes, “How did you sleep?”

                Edward did not appear to hear Albus, but another snore alerted him to the fact that Edward had already fallen asleep again, now with the book over his face.  Albus sighed and started to meander down towards the common room, now sticking on a watch he had gotten as a present from his father 4 years ago.

                Nobody appeared to be in the common room, so Albus opened up the portrait of the Fat Lady and walked out.  “OH, wait!”  he heard behind him as the portrait started to close.  Albus turned around only to see the Fat Lady calling to him, “Yes?” he asked.

                “Oh, tell your father I say hi!” She spouted off, “It’s been so long since we’ve seen him in here, so send him a letter telling him that the Fat Lady will always allow him to sleep in Gryffindor Common room.”

                Albus gave her a smile and thumbs up, then turned to go get some breakfast in the Great Hall.  Despite the fact that he had such a large dinner last night, his stomach was growling pleasantly as he smelled the delicious aromas drifting up the stairs from the Great Hall.

                He followed his nose down the stairs, until something stopped him, and by stop him: he smacked face first into an archway.  “Ow!” Albus said, holding his nose, “What’s the big idea?”.  He pushed on the archway’s apparently solid opening, trying to find out what was stopping him from using it.

                Then he felt something hit his neck, reaching back and touching it, he realized it was a drop of ink.  “Peeves,” Albus whispered to himself, the stories he had heard about Peeves were absolutely revolting; normally ending with the victim getting pranked for years on end.  Albus whipped around and looked for the Poltergeist, secretly slipping on a glove when he did so.

                It was not hard to see him, the wicked semi-transparent man was floating not five feet away from Albus’ face with a straw in hand that had ink dripping from it.  “Whoops!  Clumsy me, didn’t your father ever tell you to look out for me?”

                “Yeah, he did.” Albus replied, now putting on a second glove that he had been keeping in his pant’s pocket.

                Peeves made to move upwards, and Albus pulled out his wand and pointed it at Peeves.  “Don’t even think about it.”

                Peeves turned upside down in the air and stared at the first year, “what could you do to me?”  he said.  Before Albus was able to answer Peeves rushed upwards towards the ceiling where a large water balloon was hanging precariously.  Peeves snapped the rope connecting it to the ceiling and it fell, the distance betraying it as it was now much larger than before, easily as big as Albus.

                Albus couldn’t do anything, there wouldn’t have been enough time, so he just stood there and looked at Peeves who had flown around to stare at the mayhem he was about to cause.

                The massive balloon fell straight onto Albus’ head and burst open, spraying ink all over the staircases and tapestries.  Causing painting people to run for cover as their portraits were dirtied.

                Peeves laughed insanely, it was the first major prank of the school year, and it was a total success.  That kid had to be as black as his hair, just he wasn’t.

                Albus was standing in the middle of a massive ink stain, completely dry.  “B-B-But?” Peeves stuttered as his beautiful prank was ruined.

                “Bloody Hell, Peeves.  This will get you kicked out for sure!” that voice belonged to the caretaker, Argus Filch, who had smelled Peeves’ mischief before it happened and hurried over.  “You’ve gone and done it, Mcgonagall will be forced to throw you out.”

                While all hell broke loose around him, Albus simply walked off to the Great Hall as Peeves stared at him.  Albus even waved to Peeves as he left, now pulling off the shield gloves he had gotten at his uncle George’s joke shop.  “Have fun, Peeves.”  Albus said while he left.


	4. Morning murmurings

Scorpius woke up peacefully, sun streaming in through the window next to his four poster bed.

It was all calm, Edward snoring away to his left, hippogriffs flying above the forbidden forest, and someone in the common room crying. Wait- wha?

Someone in the Gryffindor common room was crying, their sobs reached Scorpius even while he was in his dormitory.

"First day of school, this is a great start", Scorpius grumbled as he put on his own robes. "Hey, Albus, are you awake?"

Albus didn't answer.

"Are you up here?"

Once again there was silence from Albus' bed.

Scorpius took a look at the bed, and seeing no lump indicating a sleeping Albus, walked down the stairs to the common room.

There was a few people in the common room; most ignoring the sobbing girl in a corner. But Rose was also awake, trying to comfort what should be a first year girl, but instead looked like a puddle.

"It's fine, you're fine. Don't worry." She was saying to the puddle-girl.

Through her sobs the first year looked up at Rose and told her: " _sob_ but it won't be, _sob_ , my friends are all in _sob_ Hufflepuff, and I'm in Gryffindor! There's nothing I can do now, I won't have any friends!!!"

Rose looked at her with concern, "Remember that speech the hat said yesterday?" Rose tried to say to the girl, "we're all family here, and we'll be your friends now".

All that did was cause the girl to cry harder.

Scorpius walked over and told Rose that "she isn't going to stop, you can only give her time to think. Eventually everyone runs out of tears."

Rose nodded and stood up, dusting off her black robes. "Let's go meet up with Albus, I heard he went to breakfast early."

Scorpius agreed, and they started out to the Great Hall.

While walking down the stairs, Peeves rushed by them spraying ink everywhere from a straw and being chased by Filch. Peeves would randomly turn around and shoot a few splotches of ink at Filch, most times landing on Mrs. Norris, who was furiously licking off the ink.

"Wonder what that's about?" Scorpius asked Rose. Rose watched the chase progress up the grand staircase.

"Well Peeves has always had a war with the current caretaker of Hogwarts ever since Hankerton Humble in c. 900. I read it in my Hogwarts a History book."

Scorpius looked at her in shock, who reads that much anymore?

Well with that aside, they walked down to the Great Hall, noticing Albus sitting at Gryffindor table.

"Hey Albus," they greeted him with.

"Hey guys, how did you sleep?"

Scorpius gestured for Rose to go first.

"Oh, thanks Scorpius," she said, "I slept great, even with being really excited for today. We're finally starting classes!"

Rose's excitement began to spread to Scorpius who felt adrenaline spread in his body.

"I slept well too, Edward kept me up a bit with his snoring, but otherwise there was nothing bad."

Rose and Scorpius sat down on either side of Albus and grabbed some food.

They were just starting to enjoy some pancakes when a sausage flew through the air and landed squarely on Scorpius' back.

As it slid off, a grease stain remained behind, matching the texture of Scorpius' hair perfectly.

"I forgot." Scorpius told the other two miserably, "I'm not welcome here." He set down his fork and knife, "I'm not hungry anymore guys, sorry."

"GO BACK TO YOUR GRANDFATHER, SCUMBAG!" Yelled a Hufflepuff from across the Hall, earning himself a death stare from a few of the teachers.

If you had been in the trophy room at the time, you would've noticed a few gems shaking in the bottom of Hufflepuff's hourglass, kind of like they wanted to go farther down. But as it was, no house had earned any points yet, so the gems merely stayed in the bottom of the hourglass.

Back in the great hall, at that moment, the owls flew in through the opening in the Great Hall. And most of the first years gasped as they came in, it was a magnificent sight: seeing every kind of owl fly in at once. Snowy owls flapping massive white wings complemented by miniature screech owls who were zipping in between the wings of larger eagle owls. And all of the owls carrying some sort of package.

Across the hall from Albus, Scorpius, and Rose, a small second year sat all alone on a bench, holding a notebook.

An owl came over to him and he stuffed what he was writing on into the pouch the brown barn owl was carrying.

"Take this to..."

And the rest of his words were drowned out by the crowd of students who had now opened their packages and were talking again.

The barn owl blinked once at him, then with a massive flap he took off, beating his wings furiously to get lift.

This owl's name was Bear, a stupid name if you asked the boy who used Bear, but Bear was not that boys' owl. Bear belonged to the man he was now flying to, taking the letter across oceans, plains, and mountains to its destination.

This whole trip took poor Bear two days to complete, but he did it.

When it was finished a man in a black robe picked up Bear as Bear caught his breath. The black clad man picked out the note and read it silently.

"So he's here," the man said under his breath, "prepare yourself, this one will be tough to get, but more than worth it."

The last two sentences were directed to his immediate left and right, two other men wearing black robes.

"Has the boy found him?" One asked.

"Yes. And before his father can find us, we need to move in. Get ready to tell the others."

The other figure now spoke, "The boy's father will find us, that much is certain."

A grin broke out on the middle figure's face, lighting up his features with insanity. "Yes, I know that. But we can at least get our revenge. Revenge on the boy who lived."


	5. Harry's knowlege

They were here. There's definitely dark magic in the area." Harry spoke quietly, stowing his wand away in his black robes after studying the ground.

Over to his right an ex-auror with a voice like rolling thunder spoke. "What was that, Potter?"

Harry stood up from where he was crouched, "Nothing, Kingsley, just confirming that there was some sort of Dark Magic here."

Kingsley, who was now the minister of magic, looked up at Harry. "Do you see any physical evidence yet?" Harry looked around, constantly extending the area that was in his view. Around twenty feet away there was a small object shining, but that's no sure guarantee that it's evidence.

Lights shined from houses a few miles away, Tinworth. Tinworth was where Shell Cottage was, and where Ron and Hermione were staying with their son Hugo. They told him that they apparated there right after dropping off Rose and seeing her off.

"There's something a few feet that way," Harry said pointing to the shining object.

Kingsley walked over to it and took a look, "Might want to see this, Potter," he called back, "It's addressed to you." And Kingsley picked up the shining object and carried it back to Harry.

The object was a cylinder the size of Harry's palm. It caught the moonlight that was caressing the sky, and twinkled merrily. The twinkle itself reminded Harry of Dumbledore's eyes, eyes he hadn't seen in 19 years. On it was the words: 'To the Boy Who Lived."

"This certainly is exciting." Kingsley told Harry. Kingsley chose to go with Harry to Tinworth because he was tired of the humdrum of being the minister and longed for some more excitement. This definitely fit the bill for what he was looking for, a clearly dark object addressed to Harry Potter.

Harry took the cylinder from him and twisted the top. It slid loose without a sound. In it was a letter, a simple letter that to Harry was all but simple.

"Dear Harry Potter,

Your foolish boyhood has made you powerful enemies.Those of us who had followed the Dark Lord look upon you with anger and spite.And most would be eager to have a chat with you.

Unfortunately we can't, that would be foolish on our own part, but we can hurt you in more ways than one.

Mental pain.

A worse hurt than crucio, tears from worse than a stinging jinx.

We will crush your soul and the souls of those you call your closest friends by doing what you consider impossible.

We will kill your sons.

We will kill both of your sons, beginning with the firstborn James.

Then comes the end to both your younger son Albus, and then Rose Weasley. You will despair the day that you killed the Dark Lord.

For that day will make its revenge against you.

We have already dissaparated by the time you read this, but no matter how fast you get to Hogwarts and warn the teachers, you will be too late to stop us.

The stone has begun its path down the hill, and the momentum is now ours.

With hope that you find this,

Torturer's Hand."

Harry felt chills run through his neck and down to his spine. Albus, Rose, James. They were all in danger, and Ron and Hermione had no clue what was about to happen.

Harry's hands holding both the cylinder and note started to shake violently, so these people thought that they could mess with his sons? Then there was nothing that would stop him from ending those death eaters; the Torturer's Hand.

"Are you okay, Potter?" Kingsley's booming voice said. The cylinder and its message dropped to the dirt.

"I have to warn them." And Harry turned, dissaparating to the spot he knew he must go: Shell Cottage.

Kingsley was left staring at the spot Harry used to have been and sighed, it was back to being the Minister of Magic. Maybe later he would ask Harry what is going on, but for now he trusted Harry's judgement.

When Harry's body reappeared in reality, he was in front of a small cottage by the sea. Ten feet from him was a red pile of dirt signifying the elf that had saved his life, Dobby: A Free Elf.

In the cottage lights were on and voices could be heard talking and laughing. Inside of Shell Cottage, Hermione and Fleur were laughing at a joke Ron had just told them.

"Eez zat really what a normal day eez like at the joke shop?" Fleur was asking Ron.

"Nah," Ron replied," Only when The Hogwarts kids are there. That's when life gets crazy."

"And how long have you been working zere?" The veela woman asked.

Hermione's set her hand on her husband's arm and answered for him, "Ten years now. George was kind enough to offer him the job opening that Fred's death left." This left Ron free to guzzle down some firewhiskey and wipe his face. "That's good." He said contently.

"And what do you do now Hermione?" Bill asked her.

"I'm a member of the ministry of magic The Magical Law Enforcement Office. We're currently working on house elf rights."

That was when a knock at the door stopped Hermione from continuing on about what she was doing. Bill walked to the door and looked outside, "It's Harry." He told everyone, "And he does not look good."

Bill opened the door to reveal a rather shell shocked Harry Potter. "Hi Harry, we didn't expect to see you here." Harry didn't answer, but looked for Ron and Hermione desperately.

His eyes held the wild look of a cornered animal. "Where's Ron and Hermione, this is urgent." Bill opened the door farther and welcomed Harry in, recognizing the head Auror's need for his companions.

"They're in the dining room." Bill told Harry.

"Thank you," and Harry walked into the cottage. He strode through the cottage with ease, remembering its layout perfectly from all the times he'd been there. And in the dining room he found Ron, Hermione, Fleur, and Ron and Hermione's son: Hugo looking at him in surprise.

"What are you doing here mate?" Ron asked him.

"We need to go. Our children are in danger; Rose, Albus, and James are threatened by someone seriously trying to hurt the three of us."

Ron stood up instantly, the satisfied look on his face replaced by deadly seriousness.

"Where are we going?"

"Hogwarts."

Hermione stood by her husband's side, her look now one of motherly protection, "If all our children are in danger then we need to tell Ginny. Does she know already?"

Harry shook his head. "We can apparate to your house then go over to Hogwarts. Hugo," she addressed their son who was looking at them with wide eyes, "I want you to stay here. Is it all right if he stays here?"

Fleur nodded, her silvery hair shaking as her head moved. "He will always be velcome to stay here."

Harry's sense finally caught up to him, invading his mind and overriding his parental instincts. "We need to be careful about this. I don't want our children to be in danger, but we can't alert the death eaters who want our children killed to the presence of the law. They would run away and try to kill them some other time. We need to take them all out at once, but we need to do that alone, no ministry or Auror's. And no letting our children know."

Ron looked at Harry in surprise, "Death Eaters? Weren't they exterminated with Voldemort's death by the auror department?"

"Apparently not."

With a nod to Bill, thanking him for protecting Hugo, Harry began to walk to the door. Ron and Hermione both followed him, their motley trio now recombined after 19 years to fight death eaters. Bill opened the door for the Golden Trio, and they exited.

Once they were a few feet away from Shell Cottage they turned and vanished. A loud crack filled the air as they dissaparated, and Hugo watched out a window in amazement.

"Is this what my parents were like before?" He asked Fleur. Fleur nodded and reassured him that they would bring his sister home okay.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place was looking as creaky as ever when Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at it. But Harry ignored its shabby appearance and entered his home.

"Harry? Are you home?" Ginny called from another room.

"Yeah, but not for long. Where are you?"

"In the family tree room."

The family tree room was completely remodeled, featuring the Potter and Weasley families instead of the Blacks. Though Harry made sure that Sirius was on there as his godfather.

Ginny was inside tracing her tree back to her great grandfather, a past time that interested her.

When she saw Ron and Hermione behind Harry, she smiled warmly. Then Ginny noticed the grim and hard looks on their faces, and her warm look slid off.

"What's wrong?" She asked, knowing her husband's line of work could be fatal. Harry pointed to his family tree, ending with James, Albus, and Lily. "Albus and James' lives are in danger by ex-death eaters."

Before Harry had even finished his sentence, Ginny's red headed blood was rushing through her system. "Let's go, you can explain when we're wherever we need to be."

When the golden trio hesitated she pulled out her wand and pointed it at Ron. "Curse of the bogies, remember Zachariah Smith."

That got Ron moving out of the room faster than a house elf assaulted with underwear, and the others soon followed as she pointed her wand to them in turns.

"Let's go already; we aren't making any progress by staying here." Harry said to the group as they left Number 12, they were ready to defend their children.


	6. Back to Hogwarts

Albus' first week went by like it was nothing, faster than the newest model of Firebolt. The hours passed and Albus tried to learn with the other first years, yet the speed worked against him. Albus was constantly scrambling to complete homework, or study A History of Magic.

One would often find Rose and Scorpius in the library with Albus, frantically trying to help him learn. The two of them didn't have as many problems with studying, so they tried to help Albus as best as possible.

"What wand movement is used for a trip jinx?" Scorpius asked Albus during one of their study sessions. Albus bit his lip while he racked his brain for the answer.

"A windmill?"

Scorpius shook his head.

"A jab?" Another shake.

"Do you just point?"

Rose set down the book she was reading, "A corkscrew," she told Albus.

Scorpius sighed, "Albus won't learn anything if you keep helping him. He needs to figure it out on his own."

Rose gave back a retort about her father and mother's study habits when thy were in Hogwarts. This quickly degenerated into an argument about the best way to study.

A sick feeling had been rising in Al's stomach a few hours ago, but he roughed it out so far. Now with Rose and Scorpius talking about which study habits were the best, Albus needed a break.

"Actually guys," he interrupted them, "can we head outside? I need a break for studying before dinner."

Scorpius looked away from Rose and stretched, "yeah, I could go for a break too. Care to head outside?"

Rose nodded her ascent and so they went.

The sun was starting to set on the Saturday evening, and the grounds seemed to glow with beauty. Couples were kissing under the orange sky, sitting together under trees. Nearly all of the trees on the grounds had some occupants, though all students avoided the whomping willow.

The light from the sunset shined on a marble grave and across from the grave: a stone pillar. Both were symbols of fallen heroes, both the great headmaster Dumbledore, and those who had fallen in the Battle for Hogwarts. Two fifth girls were laying flowers across the stone pillar, yellow flowers from the herbology greenhouses.

And not too far away from them was Albus' brother: James, hand in hand with a girl that Albus had never met before. Albus and Rose stopped, letting Scorpius continue to walk without noticing that something had changed. After a few feet Scorpius realized his two friends had vanished, and walked back to them.

Albus and Rose just kept staring at James, who had started making out with the girl.

"Isn't that your brother, Albus?" Scorpius asked.

Albus merely nodded, never taking his eyes off the couple. James finally unglued from his girlfriend and looked up to see Albus. Horror spread across his face as he figured out that Albus had been watching him.

"Al?" James said, "This isn't what it looks like."

Nothing, just continuous staring.

"Uhhhhhh", James said, "FLIPENDO!"

Like a rope sweeping out their legs, the trip jinx slammed into Rose, Al, and Scorpius. The three of them fell on their backs, the wind knocked out of them. When they were able to look up again, James and the mysterious girl were running towards the castle.

"Are you going to tell your mom and dad?" Rose asked Al.

"Totally."

That was when the bell rang, signaling everyone to come inside for dinner. Everyone outside got up and flooded towards the great hall. When everyone was seated; Albus was sitting across from James, whose cheeks were bright red.

James continually stole glances at Albus, then looking down the table where a blond girl was sitting.

Mcgonagal stepped up to the headmaster's podium, "Attention, students." Her voice echoed throughout the hall, and all students' and ghosts' conversations stopped instantly.

"We are only one week into the school year and Filch has already asked me to remind you that all items from Weasley Wizard Wheezes are banned. I doubt that any of you will care about this ban, but I'm going to remind you anyway. Don't say I didn't warn you when Filch is begging for your expulsion."

Laughter echoed throughout the hall.

"Another point of news is that our guest this year has arrived surprisingly early."

A man at the front of Gryffindor table stood up. Jet black hair and lightning scar recognizable by everyone. The entire great hall stared at Harry as he stood up and gave a little wave.

"Harry," Mcgonagal said, "is a former student at Hogwarts, and I will assume that all of you know about him. If you don't, please ask him. Now Mr. Potter, please come up and give a few words."

Albus watched his Dad walk up to the staff table and then across it, giving friendly greetings to some of the teachers as he went. When he reached the podium, he and Mcgonagal talked for a short second, then Mcgonagal took a step back and let Harry talk.

Harry gave the hall a quick scan, eyes resting on the children of his friends and his own children, then he began.

"First I'd like to say that it's amazing to be back at Hogwarts, nothing seems to have changed."

A chopstick flew across the room and hit Harry on the side of his head. Harry looked to its origin point and saw Peeves grinning like a madman.

"Right, Peeves at least won't change."

Peeves waved to Harry in appreciation. "A second thing I'd like to say is that it is my pleasure to administer an advanced dueling club this year. We will cover anything one would need to know in a fight. If you want to sign up, please talk to me or one of my assistants."

Harry gestured to the head of Gryffindor table, and three other people stood up. One with a mop of red hair, one with bushy brown, and a third with flowing red hair.

"Mom? Dad?" Rose murmured to herself, "what are you doubt here?"

Unknown to Rose, Albus was murmuring the same thing about his own mother, Ginny Potter.

Harry continued as the Ron, Ginny, and Hermione sat down. "Space is limited, so sign up quickly."

And Harry stepped back and said another word to Mcgonagal, walking down to take his seat again. Mcgonagal took her podium back and waved her hand, food appearing on the tables.

Albus and Rose ate quickly then told Scorpius they would be right back, and walked over to their parents. Harry nudged Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, and they looked up and saw their children walking towards them.

"Albus," Harry started, "You're in Gryffindor!" Albus' father looked very excited as he said this. Across the table Ron and Hermione were saying the same thing to their daughter.

"Dad, there's something important I need to tell you. I found out something."

Harry and Ginny's faces turned stony, "What is it?" Ginny asked with motherly concern.

"James has a girlfriend."

Harry and Ginny's faces relaxed, then Ginny's instantly hardened again. "He isn't old enough to have a serious relationship." Ginny told Albus.

Harry was behind Ginny, smiling happily and trying to catch James' eye, nodding in approval. Ginny looked behind herself and saw her husband supporting this, then elbowed him in the ribs.

"Right." Harry said while massaging his side, "we'll have to talk to him. But right now you need to go enjoy your dinner and talk with your friends, we can see you later." Albus gave his mom a hug and walked back to his seat, giving James a devilish look as he did so.

James' face paled as he realized that Albus told his parents what happened today. "You didn't tell them, did you?" James asked Al as Al sat down. Al nodded.  "Bloody hell."

James looked down, but then instantly was forced to look up again due to a pinching force on his ear. It was his mother, and she did not look happy with James. "Watch your mouth." She told him, her eyes giving them a look patented by James' grandmother, Molly Weasley.

"And what is this about a girlfriend?"

"Ah, umm, er, she's ah. Um, she's a. Um. A friend?" James stuttered out.

Down the table a ways his girl was watching him get his ear practically ripped off by his mother, and smiling. James looked at his girl, and Ginny followed his gaze, seeing the blond beauty.

"Good choice." Harry said, coming up behind his wife and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Ginny looked up at Harry giving a look that told him he was on the wrong side of this argument, and he shot back a look that said that there was more to be talked about. "Yes," Ginny said with a pained look, "she's very pretty."

James watched his mom and dad walk back over to their friends warily, like his mom would shoot a hex in his direction at any time.

"So that's your parents?" Scorpius asked Albus.

"Yeah, from what I've heard fame really hasn't changed them. They've always been pretty fun." Scorpius drank some pumpkin juice then asked another question about their jobs.

"My dad is head of the auror department, and my mom is retired. Though she used to be the captain of the Hollyhead Harpies." Scorpius started to choke, the small amount of pumpkin juice left going down his air pipe.

A sixth year looked over at him at said "anapneo." Clearing Scorpius' air pipe quickly. "The Hollyhead Harpies?" Scorpius sputtered, "The all girl team?"

"Yeah, she plays chaser, do you play quidditch?" Scorpius nodded, "I'm a beater, how about you?"

"My dad has been training me to play seeker, but my brother got his skill. James plays seeker for Gryffindor, you'll see him play for the first game."

Scorpius ran a hand through his blond hair, "Didn't my dad play against yours?" Scorpius smiled, "From what he told me, our fathers weren't the friendliest to each other."

Albus smiled back, remembering all of the stories he had heard from his own father. "Yeah, they weren't really friends."

Scorpius tossed his head back and laughed, Albus joining in after a second. It was a jolly moment for the Gryffindor Table, until some spare pumpkin juice went right back down Scorpius' air pipe.

"A little help." He gasped out, going purple in the face. The same sixth year looked over and cast the same spell, clearing Scorpius' airway once again. And the celebrity appearance was all anybody would talk about for the next couple of days, leaving everybody to wonder who would make it into the dueling club.


	7. Charms class

                Albus soon learned that his brother’s girlfriend broke up with James, saying that “They needed space.”  The more likely reason for the breakup was that Ginny would give the poor girl a classic Weasley glare every time she saw her.  To everyone else it seemed like James took the break up somewhat relaxed, saying that his mother didn’t really approve of it.

                “Mind you, no matter what he says I still saw James crying over a picture of her in the fifth floor bathrooms.”  Scorpius told Rose and Albus as they walked to a double Charms class with the Hufflepuffs.  Albus looked over at Scorpius incredulously, “My brother, my arrogant brother, crying over a girl?”

                Scorpius nodded, “I walked in after potions the other day.  I heard crying in a stall and got concerned, so I knocked on the door.  When James was the one who walked out, he was holding a picture of her in his hand.  I think that it once was a picture of them together, but she kicked his picture self out.”

                They reached Professor Flitwick’s classroom and walked in, inside there was a surprise that sent a sinking feeling through Al’s stomach.  His father, Harry Potter, was sitting in the back of the classroom.

                Albus had heard from a few third year students about Harry visiting classes, but this was the first time they were in the same class.

                Nervousness flooded Albus’ mind, and he froze at the door.  Scorpius and Rose walked in unfazed and looked at him expectantly.  Al swallowed the large knot in his throat that had suddenly surfaced and walked to his desk, avoiding looking at his dad the whole time.  On his desk, and everyone else’s, was a crumpled up ball.  And when everybody had piled in, Flitwick explained what the feather, and Harry, was for.

                “Hello everyone, for a bit we have been practicing the levitating spell.  Wingardium Leviosa.  And today we have a visitor to help us practice, Mr. Potter.”  Flitwick looked to Harry, “Mr. Potter, could you please tell us the use you have gotten from Wingardium Leviosa?”

                Harry didn’t miss a beat, “My friend knocked out a troll with it in our first year, levitated its own club.”

                A gasp ran through the first years; anyone taking on a troll and winning is unthinkable, but a first year?  Even more so.  Whispers spread as the students debated which person in the famous friend group of Harry Potter knocked out the troll.

                Rose leaned over to Al and Scorpius, “And none of them will ever consider it was my dad.”

                Scorpius looked at her, “The ginger?”

                “Yeah, he had his moments.”

                “Wow,” Scorpius breathed.

                Flitwick smacked a ruler against his desk, getting the first years’ attentions.  “So we have practiced yesterday with feathers, and now we are moving on to a rounder object.  There should be a crumpled piece of parchment on your desks, practice on that.  If you are unable to levitate the parchment then we have more feathers for you to use.”

                Rose, Scorpius, and Al all pulled out their wands and started practicing.  Wands appeared elsewhere from inside cloaks, and paper balls began to float in midair.

                “Remember Wizard Baruffio.”  Flitwick called out amidst the minefield of paper, “who said F instead of S and ended with a buffalo on his chest.”

                Harry and Flitwick moved throughout the crowd, assisting wherever they were needed.

                “Nicen, stop levitating Peters.”

                “Your ball should not be going out the window, Johan.”

                “Daren, we are not lighting the ball on fire, just levitating it.  Please don’t swing a fiery ball around.  Daren!  DAREN!  Oh bloody hell, _Augumenti_!”

                This continued for half the class period until Flitwick called on people individually to go to the front of class and attempt to levitate a book.  The book was a _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk_ , and was reasonably heavier than feathers or parchment.  Despite that, most students could lift the book to eye height for a few seconds, albeit with some struggling.

                When Albus was called up, the sinking feeling returned to his gut.  He could feel his father’s gaze boring into his skull and his palms grew slick and sweaty.  With his hands slippery, his wand fell and hit the ground with a resounding clack.  A giggle spread through the class, they could all see Albus’ cheeks grow bright red.

                Albus picked it up and hurried over to the front of class.  Flitwick gestured to the thick book lying on a stool, and Albus readied his wand.

                The book became the focus point of an intense tunnel vision.  To Albus nothing else mattered, and therefore nothing else was seen.  Albus’ nerves played out in his mind, showing him everything that could go wrong, and he closed his eyes.

                “ _Wingardium Leviosa_!”

                Albus felt the innate magic in his body flow into his hand and funnel through his wand.  Like fire it stimulated the nerves in his fingers, tingling as it drove out the stress in his mind.  When magic was being used Albus felt powerful, the complete opposite of when he did schoolwork, and putting his soul into the magic did the trick: it removed all distractions.

                Albus calmly opened his eyes and looked to the stool that the book was lying on.  The book still lay there, not a page turned.

                He frowned, frustration replacing what had been exhilaration moments ago.  Albus’ eyes found the class, expecting their faces to echo his feelings… but none of them were even there; their chairs were empty.

                “Mind getting us down?”  Harry’s voice said from above.

                Albus looked up and saw the entire class, along with his father and teacher, suspended in midair.  They floated around in zero gravity, miming swimming motions or looking in shock or awe as the magic worked.  “What in Merlin’s na-“  Albus managed to say before his spell wore off and the class fell.

                Tables and chairs splintered under students and screams of pain split the air.  Flitwick was on the ground near his podium, thankfully unhurt, and staggered to his feet.  He watched as most of his class rolled around in splinters of pain, “Oh dear, it appears that the hospital wing will have a busy day.”

                And it did.  There were three broken legs, five broken collarbones, and two broken arms.

                The injured students were healed up in no time at all, bones mending faster than any muggle medicine could work, but Albus’ stress could not heal.  There was ridicule and scorn shot at him from every corner of his classes, and his school work continued to suffer.  His mistakes in classes now starting to compound.

                In the first year’s flying class, Albus almost ran over Scorpius as Scorpius was flying around a tree.  Albus had been trying to fly above, but his flying skill wasn’t like his father’s, and he practically went through the tree and came out in front of Scorpius.  Scorpius pulled up on his own broom and barely avoided Albus, brushing the tail end of Albus’ own broom.  Thankfully nobody actually was hurt during that, but Albus’ own nervousness got the better of him.

                In potions Albus accidentally switched porcupine quills and hedgehog spine.  While he stirred it, a funny feeling was on his ladle.  The whole ladle was eaten away.  From the cauldron came a congealed red mass that chased around the whole class for five minutes before Slughorn woke up and blasted it away.  Apparently it was made out of some sort of acid, because when it had touched Albus as Albus tried to run, his cloak started to erode away.  This left Albus standing in a dank dungeon with just shorts and a tee shirt on, shivering.

                And the worst was in Transfiguration.  Albus stumbled over his spell whilst trying to change a pencil near Rose into a pen.  This ended up in the spell hitting Rose and giving her an extra leg.  Once she was Bipedal, Rose forgave Albus, but since then she has always sat on the end of the table with Scorpius between the two of them.

                Many thought it safe to say that Albus would not live up to his father’s image.

                And Albus believed them.


	8. Concerns

"We need to help Albus." Ginny told Harry, "He's struggling, and we're actually near him. We need to help our son."

Harry sighed, "We're not here for that. We're here to save him, not his grades. Splitting our focus will just make it harder to keep him safe."

Ginny stared at Harry in shock, then sat down on their bed with him; they were in their temporary living quarters a week after Albus' latest stressful mess up. They were discussing, once again, what they could do to help. Ginny was all for stepping in, but Harry was stern against it.

"Do you want our son to keep failing?"

"Do you think I enjoy watching him struggle? Well I don't anymore than you. I want to help him out as much as you, but I don't see how. It'll be hard enough to keep an eye out with having the advanced dueling club. But if we start helping Al then we might just kill him by not paying enough attention to the real reason why we're here."

Harry put his head in his hands and rubbed his weary eyes. Ginny looked closely and saw bags under his eyes. She set her hand on Harry's arm, trying to comfort him.

"How about you kill two birds with one stone. Take Al into the dueling club to boost his confidence. I've talked to his teachers and they all say it's just a confidence issue. Teach him, and he'll be confident."

"I can't," Harry said, "that would seem like favoritism. Remember that the class is for higher years only. I can't include him."

"So what? He's the son of the legendary Harry Potter, you can show favoritism to your own son."

"If it feels to him or anyone else that I'm giving him special treatment then that could operate against his confidence. He might think we pity him, or think that we believe he needs help to be successful. That would ruin his confidence without even thinking about what the other students would do to him."

It was Ginny's turn to sigh. "Then what do we do?"

"I don't kno-"

A small rumble shook Hogwarts, interrupting Harry. Dust fell from the ceiling as a second rumble passed, and a girl's scream then split the air. Her scream shocked Harry and Ginny onto their feet and trying to determine where it came from.

"What the hell was that?" Harry said, yanking out his wand and running out into the first floor corridor above the transfiguration classrooms. Ron and Hermione were living in a room a few doors down and had already run outside, wands drawn.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron echoed Harry.

"No clue," Ginny said from behind Harry, "but it sounded like it came from the greenhouses."

"That's where the first years are in class." Hermione gasped, she ran off towards the staircase. Everyone else sprinted after her, trying to keep up with a mother fueled by fear.

"Wait," Ron gasped out as he ran, "you memorized Rose's schedule?"

"I was looking for something to read and we had a copy of the schedule."

"Reading is one thing, but memorizing..."

"Never mind that now, Ron!"

The group of four ran past the transfiguration classrooms as a group of students ran the opposite way, followed by a plump witch covered in grime. "Hurry to your dormitories and stay there." She cried out.

"Professor Sprout, what's going on?" Ginny asked her.

"A giant." Sprout told them breathlessly, "he appeared from the forbidden forest with no warning and attacked us." The ground shook again, and accompanying the shaking was the crashing noise of glass breaking.

"Not the greenhouses!" Sprout yelled and started trying to run back to her classrooms. Harry and company quickly overtook her as the plump, elderly witch could only run so fast so far. They ran outside and greeting them was a giant reaching easily twenty feet in the air. At its feet lay the remains of a greenhouse, it's floral occupants scattered on the floor.

The giant itself was an ugly brute drooling his way along with large, calloused hands and a broken-looking nose. And the smell was worse than if a troll had romped through Moaning Myrtle's stalls during diarrhea season. The smell threatened to expunge Harry's last meal, but a rock grew in his throat and stopped it as he saw Rose, Al, and a blond boy cower behind another green house.

"There they are." Harry said, pointing.

"Harry and I can take the giant," Ron told the girls, "Ginny, Hermione, get the kids to safety."

"Got it." The two girls ran off, careful to move from debris pile to debris pile in order to not attract attention.

"Let's go." Harry told Ron.

"Yeah, can't be much harder than that troll we took down. Remember that?"

Harry smiled, "same principle? I distract it and you finish it off?"

Ron returned the smile, "There you go," then rushed down towards the giant, he echoed his own past as he yelled insults, "OI STUPID!"

Harry watched as Ron dodged around the giant's clumsy strikes, then snuck around the shattered greenhouse to get behind the giant. The smell was even worse near the giant's hairy backside. He looked to the side, and saw Al, Rose, Ginny, Hermione, and the blond kid scurry away from the giant.

Then Harry remembered what Ginny told him about Al, "It's just a confidence issue." He whispered to himself. Then a brilliantly stupid idea struck him.

"Albus! Over here!" Harry yelled, getting the attention of the small group, "How about a boost upwards!"

Albus nodded, then pulled out his wand and pointed it at Harry. Even from twenty feet away, Harry could see Albus' arm shake.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Albus yelled, his first attempt sailing over Harry's shoulder and sending broken glass upwards.

"Calm down and concentrate!" Harry yelled as a crash came from behind him, the giant smashing another greenhouse Ron had run around.

The second spell hit Harry directly on his chest, scoring a fist pump from Albus.

Harry floated upwards and landed on the neck of the giant, going for a piggy back ride of death. The giant reached up and tried to pull Harry off, but Harry burned its hands with his wand.

"Now Ron!"

Ron turned around from running and took aim at the ground around him.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

Rocks, glass, and sticks rose around him, menacingly pointed at the giant's skull, and Harry. Harry jumped off the giant's neck and slid towards the ground, cutting himself on glass lying on the ground.

Ron launched his projectiles, cutting holes in the giant reminiscent of a shotgun's pellets peppering a target. Shards of glass cut through the giant's torso to fly out the back, rocks slammed into its neck, and twigs embedded themselves in its ears. One shard of glass landed squarely on the giant's skull and the giant shuddered. The glass stuck out like a unicorn's horn and stuck there quivering, piercing all the way to the minuscule brain.

The giant fell backwards. Harry rolled to the side as it fell, cutting himself more on the greenhouse remains. But the giant was still, harmless in the grasp of death.

"Dad! Are you okay?!" Albus yelled and ran up to his father. He knelt beside his dad and nudged him with his wand.

Harry grinned, "that was awesome Al, a human twenty feet in the air? Phenomenal."

Albus' own face spread into a smile, "I can't believe I was able to do that."

"Powerful magic, you've got powerful magic. And you controlled it well today." Harry stood up, "You should probably rejoin your friends, then head back up to your dormitory. I think that Griffyndor house would like to hear about what you did."

"You got it, Dad."

Albus hurried over to Rose and the blond boy and exchanged high fives. Harry watched him go, satisfied that his job was well done.

"Hey Harry," Ron called out from the Giant's body as he investigated. "The giant has a marking on it."

Ron showed Harry a branding mark on the giant's back shoulder that Harry hadn't seen when riding the giant. But once he got a glimpse there was no mistaking it.

The Dark Mark.

 

 

A/N: I am now on a schedule for writing chapters. Nobody Will Know chapters will be published every Saturday for those of us in America. I have absolutely no clue about other places, but it's Saturday for America. But expect that every week there will be a new chapter. Have A Great Day my peeps. -Dlahm


	9. Alert!

I no longer update on Ao3.  Please check out my works on Fanfiction.net instead as that's where I upload all of my chapters now.  Here is the link, <https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11293552/1/Nobody-Will-Know>


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